Washing machine

• US 7,171,828 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2002
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Chan-Woo, Kim, Hyun-Sook, Kim, Hyung-Kyoon, Lee, Myung-Gyu, Pyo, Sang-Yeon, Lee, Seung-Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson; Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US10/197,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20030154749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: 681/33, 681/32, 681/34, 68/23.R
• US Class Current: 68/133
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 13/08 wherein the agitator has a gyratory or orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/083 Liquid discharge or recirculation arrangements

Abstract

A washing machine includes a wobbling device having a rotary blade. The wobbling device causes a wobbling action of a washboard without rotating the washboard during a washing mode operation, and rotates the rotary blade in one direction to allow a sufficient amount of wash water to flow upward through an ascending water current guide and fall from an upper portion of a spin-drying tub onto clothes contained in the spin-drying tub, thus effectively washing the clothes. The washboard is installed at a lower portion in the spin-drying tub such that it wobbles upward and downward. The rotary blade is installed under the washboard, and is rotated in one direction by torque of a washing shaft. The rotary blade is fitted over a boss which couples a vertical rotary shaft of the wobbling device to the washing shaft, and is rotated by the torque of the washing shaft. The water current guide extends along a sidewall of the spin-drying tub from a lower end to an upper end of the spin-drying tub. Water currents generated from the rotary blade are guided to the upper portion of the spin-drying tub and fall from the upper portion to the lower portion of the spin-drying tub.

Claims

1. A washing machine comprising:

a washing tub to contain wash water therein;

a spin-drying tub rotatably set in the washing tub to contain clothes therein;

a spin-drying shaft which rotates the spin-drying tub;

a washing shaft which axially passes through and projects from a top end of the spin-drying shaft; and

a wobbling device coupled to a projected end of the washing shaft, which causes the clothes to wobble upward and downward to wash the clothes, wherein the wobbling device comprises;

a washboard installed at an interior lower portion of the spin-drying tub, which wobbles upward and downward, and

a rotary blade, provided entirely under the washboard and spaced away from the washboard, which rotates in one direction by torque of the washing shaft to guide the wash water to an upper portion of the spin-drying tub.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the rotary blade rotates to continuously guide the wash water to fall from the upper portion of the spin-drying tub in response to wobbling of the washboard.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the wobbling device causes a wobbling action of the washboard to provide mechanical impact energy to the clothes without concentrically rotating the washboard.

24. The washing machine according to claim 3, wherein:

the first inclined surface is formed at an upper end surface of the first rotary unit,

the second inclined surface is formed at a lower end surface of the second rotary unit,

the upper end surface of the secondary rotary unit is leveled to have the washboard in a leveled position in response to the actuating pin being rotated in a first direction while coming into contact with the leveling pin, wherein an upper part of the first sloping surface meets a lower part of the second sloping surface, and

the upper end surface of the secondary rotary unit is inclined to have the washboard in a wobbling position in response to the actuating pin being rotated in a second direction while coming into contact with the wobbling pin, wherein a lower part of the first sloping surface meets the lower part of the second sloping surface.

4. A washing machine comprising:

a washing tub to contain wash water therein;

a spin-drying tub rotatably set in the washing tub to contain clothes therein;

a spin-drying shaft which rotates the spin-drying tub;

a washing shaft which axially passes through and projects from a top end of the spin-drying shaft; and

a wobbling device coupled to a projected end of the washing shaft, which causes the clothes to wobble upward and downward to wash the clothes, wherein the wobbling device comprises;

a washboard installed at an interior lower portion of the spin-drying tub, which wobbles upward and downward;

a rotary blade provided under the washboard, which rotates in one direction by torque of the washing shaft to guide the wash water to an upper portion of the spin-drying tub;

an inclined rotary shaft arranged in an axial direction of the washing shaft at an angle of inclination;

a first rotary unit which rotates in response to the torque of the washing shaft, having a first sloping surface inclined in a radial direction of the washing shaft at a set angle of inclination;

a second rotary unit arranged to be rotated relative to the first rotary unit, having a second sloping surface which corresponds to the first sloping surface of the first rotary unit, and a hole which is axially formed in the second rotary unit and rotatably receives the inclined rotary shaft therein;

an actuating pin installed to and rotates along with one of the washing shaft, the first rotary unit and the inclined rotary shaft; and

a wobbling pin and a leveling pin provided on the second rotary unit at spaced positions, wherein the washboard is arranged outside the second rotary unit, and wobbles upward and downward in response to the actuating pin rotating in contact with the wobbling pin and is leveled in response to the actuating pin rotating in contact with the leveling pin.

5. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the wobbling device further comprises:

a vertical rotary shaft which is arranged between the washing shaft and the first rotary unit, and transmits the torque of the washing shaft to the first rotary unit; and

a tubular boss which is arranged between the vertical rotary shaft and the washing shaft, and couples the vertical rotary shaft to the washing shaft so as to rotate the vertical rotary shaft by the torque of the washing shaft.

6. The washing machine according to claim 5, wherein the rotary blade is fitted over an external surface of the tubular boss.

7. The washing machine according to claim 6, wherein:

the external surface of the tubular boss has spline ridges formed thereon,

the rotary blade includes a central hole having spline grooves formed around an internal surface of the central hole, and

the spline ridges engage with the spline grooves to allow the rotary blade to be rotated by torque of the tubular boss, which is rotated in response to rotating of the washing shaft.

8. The washing machine according to claim 7, wherein the rotary blade comprises:

a circular base panel part; and

vanes regularly arranged on a lower surface of the panel part which extend in radial directions and generate wash water currents.

9. The washing machine according to claim 8, further comprising an ascending water current guide provided in a sidewall of the spin-drying tub which extends from a lower end to an upper end of the spin-drying tub in a vertical direction, wherein the rotary blade is arranged at a lower end of the ascending water current guide, guides the wash water currents from the vanes to flow upward through the ascending water current guide, and causes the wash water currents to fall from an upper end of the ascending water current guide to a lower portion of the spin-drying tub.

10. The washing machine according to claim 9, further comprising:

a drive motor which generates a driving force;

a power transmission unit which transmits the rotating force from the drive motor to the spin-drying and washing shafts; and

a lint trap provided at the upper end of the ascending water current guide, which collects impurities from the wash water currents discharged from the ascending water current guide.

11. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein the set angle of inclination determines a wobbling angle of the washboard.

12. The washing machine according to claim 4, wherein:

the inclined rotary shaft passes through the hole of the second rotary unit so as to be projected at an upper end thereof from an upper end of the second rotary unit,

the actuating pin is transversely mounted to the upper end of the inclined rotary shaft, and

the leveling and wobbling pins are arranged on an upper surface of the second rotary unit at positions angularly spaced apart from each other at an angle of about 180°

.

13. The washing machine according to claim 12, wherein:

the first inclined surface is formed at an upper end of the first rotary unit,

the second inclined surface is formed at a lower end of the second rotary unit,

the upper surface of the secondary rotary unit is leveled to have the washboard in a leveled position in response to the actuating pin being rotated in a first direction while coming into contact with the leveling pin, wherein an upper part of the first sloping surface meets an upper part of the second sloping surface, and

the upper surface of the secondary rotary unit is inclined to have the washboard in a wobbling position in response to the actuating pin being rotated in a second direction while coming into contact with the wobbling pin, wherein a lower part of the first sloping surface meets the upper part of the second sloping surface.

14. The washing machine according to claim 13, further comprising a support unit which is installed between the second rotary unit and the washboard, wherein:

the support unit is level at an upper surface thereof with the upper surface of the second rotary unit, and includes a bearing which rotatably receives the second rotary unit, and

the washboard is supported by the support unit so as to have the washboard wobble regardless of a rotating action of the second rotary unit.

15. The washing machine according to claim 14, wherein the washboard comprises:

a central boss part which is formed at a central portion of the washboard and fitted over the support unit;

a circular blade part which is integrally formed around an outer edge of the central boss part and seats the clothes thereon; and

perforations formed at the blade part which allows circulation of the wash water.

16. The washing machine according to claim 15, further comprising a covering plate which is arranged along an edge of the washboard and covers a gap between the spin-drying tub and the edge of the washboard, so as to prevents the clothes from dropping to a position under the washboard.

17. A washing machine comprising:

a washing tub to contain wash water therein;

a spin-drying tub rotatably set in the washing tub to contain clothes therein;

a wobbling device having a washboard for seating the clothes thereon, and a rotary blade provided at a bottom portion of the spin-drying tub and spaced away from the washboard, wherein the rotary blade is positioned entirely underneath the washboard;

a drive motor which provides a rotating force;

a rotating shaft which rotates and transfers the rotating force of the drive motor to the wobbling device, wherein the wobbling device levels the washboard and rotates the spin drying tub in response to rotating of the rotating shaft in one direction, and wobbles the washboard upward and downward to wash the clothes and rotates the rotary blade part to guide the wash water to an upper portion of the spin-drying tub in response to rotating of the rotating shaft in another direction.

18. The washing machine according to claim 17, wherein the rotary blade comprises:

a circular base panel part; and

vanes regularly arranged on a lower surface of the panel part which extend in radial directions and generate wash water currents.

19. The washing machine according to claim 17, wherein the washboard is provided with perforations which circulates the wash water to provide hydraulic impact energy to the clothes.

20. The washing machine according to claim 17, wherein the washing machine is a vertical shaft type washing machine.

21. The washing machine according to claim 17, wherein:

the clothes are moved vertically in response to upward and downward wobbling of the washboard, and

the washboard wobbles upward and downward in a set angle of inclination.

22. A washing machine comprising:

a washing tub to contain wash water therein;

a spin-drying tub rotatably set in the washing tub to contain clothes therein;

a wobbling device having a washboard for seating the clothes thereon, and a rotary blade provided at a bottom portion of the spin-drying tub and spaced away from the washboard, wherein the rotary blade is positioned entirely underneath the washboard, and wherein the rotary blade includes

a circular base panel, and

vanes regularly arranged on a lower surface of the circular base panel which extend in radial directions and generate wash currents;

a drive motor which provides a rotating force;

a rotating shaft which rotates and transfers the rotating force of the drive motor to the wobbling device, wherein the wobbling device levels the washboard and rotates the spin drying tub in response to rotating of the rotating shaft in one direction, and wobbles the washboard upward and downward to wash the clothes and rotates the rotary blade part to guide the wash water to an upper portion of the spin-drying tub in response to rotating of the rotating shaft in another direction; and

an ascending water current guide provided in a sidewall of the spin-drying tub which extends from a lower end to an upper end of the spin-drying tub in a vertical direction, wherein the rotary blade is arranged at a lower end of the ascending water current guide, guides the wash water currents from the vanes to flow upward through the ascending water current guide, and causes the wash water currents to fall from an upper end of the ascending water current guide to a lower portion of the spin-drying tub.

23. A washing machine comprising:

a washing tub to contain wash water therein;

a spin-drying tub rotatably set in the washing tub to contain clothes therein;

a wobbling device having a washboard for seating the clothes thereon and a rotary blade provided at a bottom portion of the spin-drying tub, wherein the rotary blade includes

a circular base panel, and

vanes regularly arranged on a lower surface of the circular base panel which extend in radial directions and generate wash currents;

a drive motor which provides a rotating force;

a rotating shaft which rotates and transfers the rotating force of the drive motor to the wobbling device, wherein the wobbling device levels the washboard and rotates the spin drying tub in response to rotating of the rotating shaft in one direction, and wobbles the washboard upward and downward to wash the clothes and rotates the rotary blade part to guide the wash water to an upper portion of the spin-drying tub in response to rotating of the rotating shaft in another direction; and

an ascending water current guide provided in a sidewall of the spin-drying tub which extends from a lower end to an upper end of the spin-drying tub in a vertical direction, wherein the rotary blade is arranged at a lower end of the ascending water current guide, guides the wash water currents from the vanes to flow upward through the ascending water current guide, and causes the wash water currents to fall from an upper end of the ascending water current guide to a lower portion of the spin-drying tub,

wherein the wobbling device further comprises;

a first rotary unit which rotates in response to torque of the rotating shaft, having a first sloping surface inclined in a radial direction of the rotating shaft at an angle of inclination;

a second rotary unit arranged to be rotated relative to the first rotary unit, having a second sloping surface which corresponds to the first sloping surface and a hole axially formed in the second rotary unit at a set angle of inclination;

an inclined rotary shaft rotatably arranged in the hole and projects from an upper end surface of the second rotary unit;

an actuating pin which is installed to and rotates along with one of the inclined rotary shaft, the rotating shaft and the first rotary unit; and

wobbling and leveling pins provided on the second rotary unit at spaced positions corresponding to rotating directions of the actuating pin, wherein the washboard wobbles in response to rotating of the actuating pin in contact with the wobbling pin, and is level in response to rotating of the actuating pin in contact with the leveling pin.

25. A washing machine comprising:

a washing tub to contain wash water therein;

a spin-drying tub rotatably set in the washing tub to contain clothes therein;

a wobbling device having a washboard for seating the clothes thereon, and a rotary blade provided at a bottom portion of the spin-drying tub and spaced away from the washboard, wherein the rotary blade is positioned entirely underneath the washboard;

a drive motor which provides a rotating force;

a rotating shaft which rotates and transfers the rotating force of the drive motor to the wobbling device, wherein the wobbling device wobbles the washboard, moves the clothes thereon in a vertical direction and rotates the rotary blade to guide the wash water to an upper portion of the spin-drying tub in response to rotating of the rotating shaft in one direction.

26. The washing machine according to claim 25, wherein the rotary blade comprises:

a circular base panel part; and

vanes regularly arranged on a lower surface of the panel part which extend in radial directions and generate wash water currents.

27. A washing machine comprising:

a washing tub to contain wash water therein;

a spin-drying tub rotatably set in the washing tub to contain clothes therein, wherein the spin-drying tub has a cylindrical sidewall;

a spin-drying shaft which rotates the spin-drying tub;

a washing shaft which axially passes through and projects from a top end of the spin-drying shaft; and

a wobbling device coupled to a projected end of the washing shaft, which causes the clothes to wobble upward and downward to wash the clothes, wherein the wobbling device comprises;

a washboard installed at an interior lower portion of the spin-drying tub, which wobbles upward and downward, and

a rotary blade, provided under the washboard and spaced away from the washboard, wherein the rotary blade rotates in one direction by torque of the washing shaft to guide the wash water to an upper portion of the spin-drying tub, and wherein the rotary blade is not mounted to the cylindrical wail of the spin-drying tub.